With the help of a statewide grant, Salinas sports teams will have more space to practice and play.

The city has received nearly $1 million in grants to build new soccer fields and a basketball court at Cesar Chavez Community Park. The city plans to build two small practice fields and one full-size turf soccer field at the park, as well as a half-court for basketball.

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Funding comes from the California Parks and Recreation Department as part of their Youth Soccer Grant program.

Grant funding was “extremely competitive” according to Gary Petersen, director of public works for the City of Salinas. The state received nearly $135 million in funding requests, but only awarded a total of $16 million to 16 California communities, including Salinas.

City officials say that new athletic space is much-needed, especially in a community of avid soccer players.

“We could build soccer fields all day long in this city, all year long, and never have enough,” Petersen said. “Soccer is a really important sport to our community.”

According to Petersen, Salinas soccer players currently have insufficient space to practice and play games.

Constitution Soccer Field, located roughly two and a half miles away from the park, is constantly inundated with soccer players. Constructing new fields at Cesar Chavez Park will help solve this problem, he said.

“I would encourage anybody to drive by the soccer fields at Constitution and Laurel and see that every evening it’s packed with multiple soccer leagues, youth soccer leagues, weekends its packed,” Petersen said. “We just don't have enough field.”

City officials hope to begin construction by the end of the year and finish the work by spring 2018. The new athletic space will be built on the side of the park near N. Hebron Avenue.

“We are delighted with the award, and believe that park improvements will help transform Cesar Chavez Park into a sports complex that provides another opportunity for healthy living,” Mayor Joe Gunter said.